Dragonborn Thief
by bubbabubba15
Summary: follow Hteb on an adventure as she learns she is dragonborn and becomes a criminal.


Prologue

My mother had named me Hteb a minute before she died, after my father's sister that was lost in the deserts of Elsweyr traveling here. I was born a Nord like my mother but my father was a Khajiit. I grew up as a Khajiit but never got my father's Elsweyr accent. I kept my hair cut short with the only pair of shears my mother had as a kid.  
I grew up in the wilderness by Ivarstead. I grew up with only my father until a tragic forest fire when I was eighteen. The whole cabin was destroyed, and my father died beside me of the smoke. I grieved for days, but I could not sustain my body the fifth day on snow and juniper berries. I went back to the cabin and amazingly the chest where my father's daedric sword, shield, armor, boots, and gantlets was untouched. They fit perfectly, and I knew it meant something.

Chapter 1  
The Legends Are True

I traveled far towards Riften to the pond surrounding the west side. I got to the shore and washed my face and hands. Then the scariest thing happened.

I heard a roar that sounded like a mix of a mammoth and a saber toothed cat that was coming from the air. My eyes widened and I slowly turned around. A dragon landed right in front of me, and I took out my sword and my shield. It blast frost breath at me as I put my shield up. When it stopped, I instinctively sliced deep into its throat and dodged barrels amount of blood that spurt out.

Its scales started to fall off and disintegrate. Its flesh started to turn into fire and later all it was, was a skeleton. I stared in horror for a minute, and then I felt power drive into me.

There was a loud clap of thunder and there were three loud, deep, and old voices that said, "Dovahkiin!" slowly. I remembered reading the one book we had that was about the Greybeards. They would summon the Dragonborn or Dovahkiin to the High Hrothgar after they killed their first dragon. I looked back at the mountain called The Throat of the World. I had to walk up seven thousand steps to see them.

Chapter 2  
Seven Thousand Steps to Success

Walking seven thousand steps wasn't the hard part. I had walked about a quarter of the way up when a pack of wolves attacked me. I figured out which the alpha was and I hit him upside the head as hard as I could with my shield. He was pushed farther back then I had intended. He whimpered and crawled in to the deep blizzard with his pack fallowing.

When I had walked about half way up, there was a cave filled with human and wolf bones. I looked on top of the cave and a snow troll jumped down right in front of me. I instinctively cut deep into his chest and stomach diagonally and he died instantly

.  
I skinned him and took his fat for potions and then thanked the gods for it. I felt bad as I traveled up the rest of the mountain, but at least I didn't kill the pack of wolves that just wanted a cat person for dinner.

The Greybeards taught me FUS-RO-DAH, which means Force Balance Push. They also taught me WULD-NAH-KAST, which means Whirlwind Fury Tempest.

After a hard day of lessons, they said that I could sleep there for the night. I had planned I leave at once, but it was already eight at night. I thanked them, and then I got into the most comfortable bed roll. As I drifted off to sleep, I faced the window were I would awake to the slightest light.

I awoke at midnight, and I decided to go to their bookshelf and look at the books I thought I would never have. There were journals, stories, and a series of book journals of the wilderness. There was one I particularly noticed that was as thick as a fox's tail that on the side said: The Known Thu'um. In the front of the book there was a part where it listed words and their meanings.

Chapter 3  
The Truth Revealed

After reading about three books I saw that it was dawn and I decided to go through the courtyard to see what was at the top of the mountain. I thought I could probably practice some of my shouts there.

When I got to the arch I tried to go through, but it pushed me back like there was a force field of wind. I decided to thin the air with a shout.  
"LOK-VAH-KOOR!" The whole sky cleared with little wind left. I started walking up. There was a winding slope, so it seemed that no one had been there in a long time.

By the time I go up there, there was a dragon asleep on a stone wall and the wall had ancient dragon writing on it. When I stepped on a large flat stone its eyes flashed open. "Varkot Dovahkiin. Welcome." He said in a deep, coarse, calm voice. "Vun markon, mash lakiid. I am Paarthurnax, leader of The Greybeards." He paused, letting out a vast gust of wind.

"Dovah greet each other with fire or frost breath." He let out a great breath of fire into the stone wall. I returned with a YOL-TOOR-SHUL. Fire came out of my mouth with my words. It hurt like I was gurgling chunked salt water.

"Very good." He sounded like it was hard to speak English. "I have not spoken to Dovahkiin in centuries. It is good to talk to my own kin again." "Aren't the Greybeards Dovahkiin?" I asked. "No Dovahkiin. They are only studiers of the voice." "So then, who all are Dovahkiin?" "There is a family tree in each race, and you are in two Dovahkiin family trees, which make you all the more powerful." I stared him straight in the eyes. "Know then," He broke the silence. "Why was it you came here?" "I had thought that I could practice my shouts here, but it is time for me to go."

Chapter 4  
Thief

I was almost to Riften, when I saw a giant golden dragon start flying from the other side of The Throat of the World. I kept shouting WULD-NAH-KAST to get there before the dragon.

When I got there was no one outside except for Guards lined up at the wall. I was outside, because they would not open the doors with a dragon around. I shouted at the top of my lungs, "YOL-TOOR-SHUL." towards the dragon. It roared as fire hit its face and fell down right in front of me. I cut his throat and his scales disintegrated as his flesh became fire and was put out in a minute.

Two guards stepped out and they told me to come with them. I was really scared. I thought they would lock me up for killing a dragon.  
"Jarl Laila, The Dragonborn has come to us." One of the moderately buff Guards' that was bringing me said. Her steward leaned over to her and whispered, "You should put her in jail, you know what Ulfric did to The High King." "Yes, but she may not use the voice to kill people." Jarl Laila replied. Jarl Laila turned to me. "Who are you?" "I am H-H-H-H," "Spit it out!" The young woman guard said quietly as she shoved me in the arm. "Hteb, the Dragonborn." I finished. "Where are your parents?" "D-dead." I looked at the floor. "Why did you come here?" The Jarl's steward asked sternly as she stood up. "Sit down." Jarl Laila said as she stood up and pulled the steward back into her seat. "There was a fire in the forest where I lived, and I thought maybe I could start out fresh here." The steward squinted bitterly at me. "She saved The Rift. She should be rewarded." Jarl Laila's housecarl stood up for me. She stood up and gave me a coin purse that was quite heavy and large. "Here is five hundred septims, use it wisely." She then sat down and said loudly, "Court dismissed."

I walked stiffly out to the marketplace. After buying some expensive food and putting it into a few barrels down by the Ratways, I came back up and saw a Nord with rather dark ginger hair down to his shoulders with a neatly cut newly growing in beard. I thought of him to be rather handsome, though I had never felt that way about any man in Ivarstead. He walked up to me and started a conversation. "You look knew here, I am Brynjolf." "I'm Hteb." "More of a Khajiit name isn't it?"He said kindly and humorously. "Yes, my father was a Khajiit and my mother a Nord."

"You look like you need some coin." He said. "How could you tell?" "It's the way people walk and act." "My wealth is none of your business." I said, starting to walk away. "Now that's where you are wrong. I have a way for you to get coin."He said putting a hand on my shoulder. I turned back around. "What is it?" I said feeling awkward. "I'm going to make a distraction and you steal Madisi's ring from his strong box and place it on Brand-Shei." "Why?" "Let's just say someone wants him out of business. Are you ready?" "Sure." I said ready than ever.

I walked over to the Argonian's stand. "Everyone come here. I need your attention." Everyone at the marketplace stood close to him. I ducked down and broke into Madisi's strongbox and took out his ring. I then walked over to the boxes Brand-Shei was sitting on and went behind the boxes. Through the crack in between the boxes I put the ring into Brand-Shei's pocket. "I have a special potion for you, it is great indeed." Brynjolf continued. "That's what you said about the last one and it ended up being snowberry and juniper berry juice." Madisi said. "Well, I guess I'm done here." "What a waste of time." Madisi scowled.

I walked over to Brynjolf and he said, "Looks like I chose the right person. Bad things have been happening to people like us lately." "What's been going on?" I asked. "Bad luck for my organization I guess, but there is more where that came from if you can handle it." I smiled. "Sure." "If you can make it alive to the Ragged Flagon in the Ratways I'll get some more things for you to do."

I didn't know what to expect in the Ratways. Bandits, savage beggars, psychos. Unfortunately, there were all of those.  
When I got to the Ragged Flagon, I heard voices. "Where is your new prodigy, Brynjolf?" I heard a Nord man say. "Vekel, Dirge, I'm telling you this one is different." "We've all heard that before, stop kidding yourself." An Imperial man said. I was guessing that was Dirge by the sound of his voice. "It's time to face the truth. You, Vex and Mercer are part of a dying breed. Things are changing." The Nord Vekel said.

I walked into the main part of the Ragged Flagon and Brynjolf said, "What do you call that?" He walked up to me and said, "I thought I might not see you again, Lass." "It was easy to get here. So what's next?" "Smart and enthusiastic." I have a few people for you to take care of." "Who are they and what'd they do?" "Haelga that runs the bunkhouse, Keerava that owns The Bee and the Barb, and Bersi that owns the Pawned Prawn. They owe us quite a bit of septims. Just get the point across that we are not to be ignored. "

First I went to Keerava. "Hand over the money you owe to Brynjolf now, or we will get people to go after you." The Argonian's face was showing she was terrified. "Okay, here take it!" she said, handing me a coin purse.

When I got to Haelga's Bunkhouse I said, "Give me Brynjolf's money or I might just throw your Dibella statue down the well." Without a word she handed me a coin purse and shoved me out the door.

By the time I had gotten to The Pawned Prawn, word had gotten out that he was next. Bersi was standing outside the shop with a coin purse of money. "Here!" He said as he handed it to me and then ran inside.

"Three hundred septims." Brynjolf said as he finished counting the coins. He stood up from his chair in the ragged flagon and said, "Welcome to the Guild. You are now a member of The Thieves Guild."

Chapter 5  
Why?

A young Imperial named Rune showed me around the cistern. He showed me a bed with a side table and a chest to keep my things in.  
I went down to The Pawned Prawn and bought a night gown with the fifty septims Brynjolf gave me. I took a bucket full of water from the well and brought it back to The Cistern.

I changed into my night gown by my bed and I used a cloth to wash my face, arms, and legs with the water. I snuggled into my bed with a smile on my face and was forced into a dream.

It was a bright afternoon and I was in the woods where I grew up. I stood in front of my father and a woman I suspected was my mother. "This is not what we wanted." My mother said. "The guild is my family now." "You are Dragonborn, do what you were meant to do." My father said stepping forward and hugging me tight. "You must travel to Whiterun and tell the Jarl that Riverwood is in danger." My mother said sweetly. "Mother, I can't let Brynjolf down." "Then ask Delvin for a Whiterun job." They then started to disappear.

I woke up around dawn and I noticed Delvin was not in his bed. I quickly took a sweetroll from the food cupboard and sat down at a table and quickly ate it. I then got on my armor and went to The Ragged was oddly enough eating an apple with a tankard full of what looked like Brynjolf's "special potion"."So, um, could you," I started. "No you're too young, ask Brynjolf." I stared at him in horror. Did he really think…no maybe he's drunk? "No I need a job that is in Whiterun, I'm traveling." Maybe Brynjolf wouldn't be such a bad…Wait! What am I thinking? "Oh, in that case I do. The Battle-Born Clan owes us some money. I heard you could do that."

When I had reached Helgen, Helgen had been ripped apart and charred. I looked at the burnt remains of the wood spread across the ground, and it was newly burnt.

I saw a Stormcloak heading for Riverwood and I caught up to him. He was a Nord, about my age, and had long blonde hair and a beard that reminded me of Brynjolf. He was gasping for breath and struggling to run. I heard a dragon roar above us and I shouted FUS-RO-DAH at it and it fled."Hurry! Come with me to Riverwood before it comes back!" He managed to say. We ran as fast as we could without stopping until we got to the gates.

We both bent down and put our hands on our knees gasping for breath. We stood up at the same time and shook hands. "Ralof." "Hteb." "Figured you were part Khajiit." Ralof said facetiously. "No Nord could ever run like that." I smiled at him. "You need to tell the Jarl of Whiterun that Riverwood needs help." Ralof said, sounding serious. I kissed him lightly on the lips and ran off towards Whiterun, not looking back except to see the dazed expression on his face.

When I got to the gates of Whiterun A guard stopped me and I said, "I need to talk to the Jarl." I said pausing for a big breath in between. He opened the gates without a word and I even ran to Dragonsreach.

"Ah, Dragonborn, We need you." "Riverwood needs help."I said, breathing with each word. "I have already sent Guards there for them. My court mage Farengar could use some help."

He said pointing to the court mage that was in his room. "Okay." I said finally calmed down and I walked over to Farengar. I need you to fetch something for me. When I say 'Fetch' I mean go into an ancient Nordaic ruin and find an ancient artifact that might not be there." "Okay, I have a little time on my hands." "Good. I need you to go into Bleakfalls Barrow and retrieve The Dragonstone tablet. But first, you should visit The Bannered Mare in the marketplace." I nodded and headed towards The Bannered Mare. I ate a roasted goat leg, a whole apple pie, and I drank some mead. After my plate was clean and my tankard was empty I asked for the room upstairs. The woman said it was free for The Dragonborn at any time.

I woke up around dawn and I decided to head out early. I had gotten to the mountain top clean, taking out the bandits one by one each with one arrow.

When I got inside there were dead bandits all over the floor. There were two bandits still alive, probably the culprits. I snuck behind a pole and shot the girl first in the neck, and the guy second in the back piercing through his heart with blood going everywhere.

I quickly looted all of the bodies, lockpicked the chest next to them, and quickly snuck through a crumbling hall in case of more bandits.  
There was a bandit at the end of the hall that led to a chamber. I had already figured the puzzle out and that he would be booby trapped. I waited so I didn't have to kill him.

Poison needles came out of the holes in the walls the instant he pulled the cracked lever. I noticed that he had died instantly because the first needle went through his heart. I looted his unfortunate corpse trying to not touch the needles.

I pushed the amazingly light and loose stones into the correct position. I pulled the lever and the gate opened.I snuck through quickly; afraid it would close and never open. I heard screaming. I snuck up quickly but quietly, and saw a giant frostbite spider in front of an Imperial man caught in a tight web.

I shot the spider in the rear with a glass arrow and when it turned around, I cleanly sliced its head off with my sword. "Thank you. Please cut me down!" I cut down near his left side.

When he had gotten out he sneered "You idiot! I'm a bandit! I won't share the treasure with anyone!"I felt like doing the same thing to him I did to the spider, but I smelt draugr, so I let him go.

Sure enough there were draugr. He had killed them, but a booby trap got him. I looted him and he had a big coin purse, an orcish dagger, and a golden claw. I had heard the claw was the key to a door to get The Dragonstone. When I got the door, I looked at the symbols on the claw and moved the symbols on the door into the correct position. I stuck the claw in and the symbols moved to its original spot and the door slowly sunk into the ground.

I walked into the main chamber, and sure enough there was the Dragonstone. When I picked it up, a draugr overlord popped out of a stone coffin. He looked tough, so I ended up cutting its head off.

I stayed in Whiterun for a week, helping people with favors like normal heroes do. I learned a lot of smithing, restoration, and alchemy skills too.

When I got home to Riften I went straight to The Ragged Flagon. I was walking towards The Cistern when Brynjolf walked by. "Hey Brynjolf." I said. He ignored me and I walked back to him. "What's wrong?" I asked. "Nothing's wrong. Oh, except you kissed a Stormcloak." He remarked. "How would you possibly know that?" "Word travels fast Lass." "Well, last time I checked I wasn't with anyone. And why- you know what, whatever." I said and I went to sleep madder than ever.

"And so, I was really mad." I said finishing my third bottle of ale. "Well, first of all," Vex said. "Why are you telling me this? Second of all, why did you kiss him? And third of all, you shouldn't be drinking at all until at least noon." "Well, I need to talk to a girl here, and I thought I could get away with it, and you are totally right. I think I'll just sleep till tomorrow."

Chapter 6  
The Mysterious Symbol

I couldn't sleep, so I hunted until I was sober, and then brought the meat back to The Cistern and cooked it. I had shot four male elk, three rabbits, and two foxes. I had dried the hide at the blacksmith's and I came back to The Cistern around five in the evening.

I sat down in my bed, thinking. I wasn't really thinking, I was more like drifting. Brynjolf walked up to me. "Um, lass, I am sorry about yesterday." I didn't respond. "Well, Mercer wants to see you." "You know, I'm sorry too." I said putting a hand on his shoulder and walking over to Mercer's desk. "You need me?""Yes, I do."Mercer gave me the job details and I was off in a hurry.

I had gotten to Goldenglow Estate through the sewers and I snuck past the mercenaries with my Shadow Stone power to become invisible. I shouted "YOL-TOOR-SHUL." At three beehives and the mercenaries looked around at each other as the hives burst into flames.  
I snuck into the "house" and lockpicked the safe and took the gold, the key, and a paper I didn't dare to look at.

When I got back, Mercer was looking at me madly but overwrought. I handed him it and he said, "Seems like someone under a disguise is buying Goldenglow. Maven has something for you to do. See her in The Bee and the Barb."

"So, Mercer doubts that you can't handle this job. Meet your "accomplice" Mallus Maccius at The Bannered Mare in Whiterun."  
"Does she really expect you can handle this?" Mallus sneered. "Well, you need to ask Sabjorn for the extermination job." "What about the poison in the mead?" I asked. "Now that's where the trick comes in. Put the rat poison that he gives you in the fresh brew." "Clever, but do you expect him to give the taster the first drink?""Of course, I've done my research."

"It's about time you finished, we've been waiting." Sabjorn snapped at me. "All taken care of." I said calmly. "Now that your little pest problem has been taken care of, I will taste your mead." The taster said. He took one gulp and spit it into Sabjorn's face. "Are, are you trying to, to kill me!" "What?" "Come with me. Mallus, you are in charge for now." The taster said. "Well done." Mallus said now that we were alone. "You can go ahead and search through his stuff upstairs if you would like."

I broke into the dresser upstairs and found a note. The meadery was being sold to the signature of the symbol on the other note.  
"Someone is trying to get between the guild and I." Maven said. "There is one thief in Solitude that might know who."  
I took it to Brynjolf and said, "I'm heading up to Solitude." "Be careful Lass." "Don't worry; I'm more than capable of handling anything."  
I walked up to Gulum-Ei in The Winking Skeever. "Who is buying the Honeybrew Meadery?" I asked. "I can tell you, but you need to fetch something for me." Here's the word fetch again."What is it?" "Firebrand Wine. Only known case of it is in the Blue palace."

When I had gotten back to The Winking Skeever, I took out the satchel hidden by my breast strap on my thieves' guild armor. One of the drunks at the bar whistled. I stared at him through slit eyes and he turned back around.

I took out the six bottles of wine and tucked the satchel back in. He gulped down half of a bottle and then said, "Her name is Karliah. She said she was hidden were the end began."

Chapter 7  
Good or Evil

"I hoped she had left for Morrowind where she belongs." Mercer scowled. "You are coming with me to Snow Veil Sanctum to stop her before it's too late."

When we had arrived at Snow Veil Sanctum, there was a door that was locked and Mercer unlocked it. He let me take the lead and we got through the place pretty quickly.

Beads of sweat were dripping off our faces by the time we got the locked claw door. He unlocked the door and I had taken lead again. Then an arrow struck me in the neck, but for some reason I was not dead. The person who had shot was a Dark Elf, I figured it was Karliah. My vision had gotten hazy, but I could still see.

Mercer walked around me toward Karliah with his blade withdrawn and Karliah disappeared. "You scared bastard!" Mercer remarked. "I know I would die at the hand of your blade, Mercer." Karliah said from behind him. "You're right. Even Gallus couldn't stand it." I was paralyzed, but I stared in shock. He smiled wickedly, and he turned to me. "I'll be sure to give Brynjolf your final farewells." "B-b-Brynjolf." I managed to whisper as he attempted to stab me in the heart, but missed.

Chapter 8  
Lies

I was in the clouds. Mother and Father were there. "Is this Heaven? Where-" "Hteb, you are dreaming. We-we've realized that your heart lies with the guild, and we are happy for you, but you can't stray from your blood oath. You are Dragonborn, and you must not forget that." My mother said. I hugged them tightly, feeling both my mother's cold skin, and my father's warm fur.

Then everything faded as I opened my eyes to look up to Karliah's face. The top part of my armor was off, and she was healing were Mercer tried to kill me. I let out a moan which was supposed to be a laugh; Mercer probably has never seen a woman's body, so he had terrible aim for the heart. "What m I goan do?" I asked her like I was drunk. "Don't talk yet, I'm almost done."

Karliah healed a minute or two and gave me a giant potion to drink. "Drink it all."She said. I propped myself up with my elbow and drank it quickly. It tasted like the juniper berry mead my father used to get from Helgen on his long journeys when I would sneak a sip or two. It also had a dirt taste she must have tried to cover.

I shook my head as if I was a dog coming out of the water. "Why aren't I dead?" I asked her. "The Poison slowed your heart rate so you didn't bleed out." Karliah responded. "I wanted Mercer to suffer, but you were the first to come in. That piece of troll shit killed Gallus." She said with tears in the corner her eyes. "I knew he had a problem. What do we do?" "I have Gallus' Journal, but it is in the Falmer language. Speak To Enthir in the Frozen Hearth in Winterhold. Ask if he knows the Falmer language."

"Are you Enthir?" "Yes, what do you need?" "Do you know the Falmer language?" I asked hopefully. "No, why?" "Karliah sent me. We need to decode Gallus' journal." "Ah," he replied. "That is exactly what he would do. Go to Markarth and ask the court wizard."

"Here is the key to the museum for killing the spider." Calcelmo said. I took it and rushed to the museum.

I had returned to the Frozen Hearth and went into the cellar. Enthir studied the rubbings I had given to him and Gallus' journal. "It says that he had suspected that Mercer has been stealing from the guild for years. He had just decided to confront Mercer in his last journal entry." Enthir translated. "Meet me at the Ragged Flagon, and take this, It was Gallus'." She handed me a black sword with a nightingale on it.

We entered the Ragged Flagon together. We walked slowly up to the main part of the Ragged Flagon as we saw amazed looks on the whole guild's faces. "You're alive, Lass!" Brynjolf said to me. "What are you doing with this traitor?" He tried to slash her across the chest when I grabbed his muscular arm almost late. "Stop! Mercer killed Gallus! He actually killed me for a second with a stab in my chest! She saved me!" I exclaimed, pointing out the large gash in my armor. He dropped his arm and sword, turned around and hugged me tightly.

When he stopped he said, "Vex, Delvin, open the vault." He tossed Vex his key, and we all followed them.  
When they opened the vault, all of the chests have been opened and left without a care. Brynjolf turned to me and said, "Go to Mercer's house and break in. Look for something that says where he's gone."

Chapter 9  
Evidence

Vald, Mercer's bodyguard was in the backyard that was the only way I could get in. I turned invisible and I shot an arrow at the gear on the underside of his balcony and a ramp came down. I snuck up the ramp and into the house.

I searched the whole house by the time I got to a walk in wardrobe. It led down to The Ratways and then to a secret room. There was a case with a glass sword in it. On the case was a scratched in name; Chillrend. I lockpicked it, and stuffed it in the spare space under my back armor plates.

There was a desk with the bust of The Grey Fox. Delvin had told me he was like a father to all theives. I put it in with the sword and looked at a paper on the desk.

Dear Mercer,  
I will be having a baby soon and you will be an uncle. Treat her with care, and maybe she will join your line of work.  
I have been thinking about naming her Hteb after Ramik's sister. This may be hard for you to understand, but I care for all races.  
Love,  
Mari

"Mer- Mercer's my Uncle!" I spilled out. 'And I have to kill him' I thought.

I walked up to Brynjolf with the bad news. He had been talking to Karliah. "I didn't find anything." "I may be able to help." Delvin stepped up and said. "Before Mercer left, He said he was going after The Eyes of The Falmer."

Chapter 10  
No Mercy

By the time Brynjolf, Karliah, and I got to Mercer, he was taking out The Right Eye of the Falmer."I know who you are." I said in a low voice."Ah, My sweet, sweet niece Hteb."Brynjolf and Karliah looked at me in horror. Brynjolf's mouth was agape. "Lass, is," I turned to him and hugged him."Yes, I read a letter in his secret room, from my mother!" I said and Karliah shouted, "Look out!"

I turned around as I drew my Daedric sword and plunged it into Mercer's chest. I let go, and he grabbed it, and fell to the floor. I fell with him. I cried, and I noticed water up to Brynjolf's knees, and my neck because I was kneeling down. I got up, my nightingale armor soaked.  
Within ten minutes we were swimming to the top of the cave to get to an opening

Chapter 11  
Forgetting the Loss

For the next 16 nights I had nightmares of him dying over and over again. Every night Rune would wake me, and I would go out with a job for Delvin.

During that period of time, I had trouble killing anything. I would not go hunting, and just the sight of blood made me want to puke.  
Since I wasn't hunting, I had to steal food for myself. I had coin, but I was to become thane soon, so I was saving for the house.  
Once I had gotten the house, I was so busy; I ended up forgetting about Mercer.

Once the house was done, I had started doing up to six jobs a week. After the special job for week three, Delvin said, "I don't think anyone has been working harder for the new position, but keep that between us." I smiled. It was the first good feeling I had about Mercer's Death. "Thanks."Was the only thing I could say. "Sit down. Tonilia told me about you and Mercer." 'WHAT!' I thought."I think that maybe you should fallow in his line of work." "Well, I'll take note of that."I smiled and walked away.

Chapter 12  
Rumor

"Why did you tell everyone about Mercer?" I yelled. "Brynjolf was mine before you." Tonilia whispered to me with slit eyes. "I would have him and Vekel." "You bitch!" I yelled and walked quickly to the Pawned Prawn.  
I bought a camp set and went back to the area where I grew up. On the way there I hunted. By the time I set up camp on top of the burnt remains I hadn't seen in a year, I was tired an ready to go to bed.  
I saw only darkness but I heard The Greybeards calling me over again. There was nothing else, and I came back within a half hour.

Chapter 13  
After the Horn

The Greybeards sent me to Ustengrav to retrieve the horn of Jurgen Windcaller.

When I walked in, there were necromancers and bandits fighting around the corner. I let them kill each other until there was one bandit left. I took him out with an arrow and looted all seven bodies.

I had gotten through very quickly, but I noticed that many of the draugr were dead.

By the time I had gotten to the end, there was no horn, just a note.

So you're The Dragonborn." Delphine said. "So what?" "I've been looking all over for you." "I'm not here to listen to this shit. I have a big fucking problem at home."I said. "Here is the horn, but I need you to prove you are Dragonborn. I know where the next dragon will come alive. Kynsgrove; There is a pattern." "When will it be?""Tonight at sunset." It was sunrise.

Chapter 14  
Some Battles Are Over

"Sahloknir, ziil gro dovah ulse!Slen tiid vo!""Alduin, thuri! Boaan tiid vokriiha suleyksejun kruziik?""Geh, Sahloknir, kaali mir.""Ful, losei Dovahkiin? Zu'u koraavnid nol dov do hi."

"You do not even know our tongue, do you? Such arrogance, to dare take for yourself the name of Dovah."Alduin said,and turned to Sahloknir.""Sahloknir, krii daar joorre."

Alduin flew off, and I shot an arrow in Sahloknir's eye. A blood curdling scream came from his throat. He clawed at me and threw me into a tree. I heard my spine crack and the tree fell at the strength of his throw.

I got back up, amazed I wasn't paralyzed let alone dead. I walked up to him, stumbling. "What are you going to do; Mortal?" I took out Chillrend and cut his throat deeply.

His scales disinigrated and his flesh turned into flames. When It was all bone, Delphine said, "So you are Dragonborn."I sighed deeply."Yes."  
As we were heading back to Riverwood, we started a conversation."So," She said."I heard that The Dragonborn was cheating with Ralof." "Are you kidding me?" I yelled, kicking the dirt path."First of all, I wasn't with anyone at the time, and second of all, it was a kiss." "Oh." "Anyways," I said changing the subject. "What's been happening lately?""Oh, nothing really, but there has been more talk of the dragons. Other than that, the talk of you."

When I got back to Riften, I went straight over to Tonilia. "What?" She more told me than asked me. "Look, I don't want to fight okay, but you really need to get over it. I liked it better when I could feel safer around you." She glanced at me skeptically."Fine. Just don't expect me to be nice."

Chapter 15  
A Discovery

When I had finally gotten to sleep, someone shook my shoulder. I grunted in response and I heard Vex's voice."Wake up!" she whispered in my ear. When I finally sat up, I noticed she had a journal in her hand. "I broke into Mercers house and found this. Look at the first journal."Sleepily I flipped open the journal to the first page and read it."It says where he hid all of the Unusual Gems."I said lifting my head.

I woke up Brynjolf and told him we were heading off to the Serpent stone."Vex can't just leave, she has a job to do." he said scornfully. "We will only be gone till tomorrow at noon." I said."Fine," He said after a while."But this better be important."

We stole two horses off of a quiet property next to Riften. They had at least thirty, so we thought they probably wouldn't miss them for two days. We rode up to Winterhold bare back, and then we walked to the Serpent Stone. Just like in the journal, there was a giant bolder. Together we pushed it over and dug where the bolder used to be. There it was, a chest. Vex looked big-eyed at the chest. I lifted the chest, amazingly heavy in weight. I set it down and carefully opened it. There they were, all of the cased unusual gems. I opened one of the cases up and the gem was carefully preserved. I threw the case back in the chest as I hugged Vex. She took it by surprise yet she hugged me back.  
I hooked up two satchels to each of the horses necks. We talked about the guild on the way back."So, Do you like anyone?"I asked her. "Nah, but if I weren't too different and mean, I would like Rune." I thought about that for a while. He was nice, caring, and he always seemed longing for someone. "You are the same age."

I ran freely into the Ragged Flagon with the satchels in my hand. I felt like I could almost fly despite the heaviness of the gems. I slowed to a walk when I noticed I got to Dirge. I smiled at him and he looked away embarrassed. I had guessed he had never been at either ends of kindness. Brynjolf was at the table closest to Dirge. I sat down in front of him and put the satchels on the table. "What is this?" he asked. "Only the best discovery that Vex made. Open one." He smiled at me. He flipped open the top and picked up one of the cases. He opened it and stared in amazement. "How did you find these?" "Vex found Mercer's journal." I got out of my seat, kissed him gently on the cheek, and walked off to my bed.

Chapter 16  
Getting There

My father was in Riften with me. We were walking past the guards, through the open gates, and out towards the water. "I know you won't want to, but you need to leave the guild." He said. "Dad! I'm not leaving!" I cried. "The world might end! You need to put all of your focus onto your power and your real life!" He yelled at me. He then looked sorry and rapped his furry arms around me. I was crying. "The guild is my life!" I muffled my words as I ran back to the cistern. I ran to my bed and hid under my sheets incase my father came back.

Brynjolf was shaking my shoulder. "Lass, Lass, Lass, wake up!" "Huh!" I said as I opened my eyes to see Brynjolf's face close to mine. "The guild is your life, aye?" he asked, repeating the words I had said in my sleep. I sat up and looked around. The guild was still asleep. "Brynjolf, can I tell you something?" I asked. "Anything Lass." He replied sitting at the edge of my bed. "I-I'm leaving in the morning, and, and I might not come back for a long time." "What's the problem?" "I, I can't really explain, but I need you to trust me and know I will come back whenever I can." "But it's almost sunrise." he said. "Then I must get going."I replied sadly. "But-" "Trust me." I got out of bed and without care I undressed and got into my armor. I turned back around just in time to see Brynjolf look away. I walked over to the other side and shoved him playfully and said, "Do you want to go over to my house and get some breakfast?"

I made two homemade sweet rolls with crushed up honey nut treats on top with extra honey drizzled over it. "This tastes like it was made in Sovngarde by the gods themselves." Brynjolf complemented through a bite. "Thanks." I said in response as I set mine down to take a bite for myself. It was actually really delicious. When we had finished, He walked down to the gate with me and kissed me goodbye.

I ran to the forest I grew up in as soon as the gates closed behind me. I sat on the stump of a burnt down tree. I cried there for about an hour wondering if I should go to Ralof or Delphine. I decided to go to Ralof. I didn't know why exactly, but I wanted to start out fresh with him, not like I would let him get in between Brynjolf and I.

Still crushed, I stood and started heading for Ivarstead. Along the way I hunted, not taking the path. I left out one elk carcass for the wolf pack that lived in the area. I decided along the way to skip Ivarstead and go straight to Riverwood.

When I got to Riverwood, I walked slowly to the wood mill. There he was, moving the cut logs into a long carriage with five horses. I snuck up behind him, and said, "Hey." That must've alarmed him, because he jumped a little and spun around. He stuttered, "H-hey." "Would you come with me to Windhelm?"


End file.
